Tennis Ace Beats Miami Coke Rap
Gasquet cleared of wrongdoing in Miami cocaine incident
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KEY BISCAYNE, FL - MARCH 27: Richard Gasquet of France poses with the Miami Dolphin cheerleaders during day five of the Sony Ericsson Open at the Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 27, 2009 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (Photo by Michael Heiman/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Richard Gasquet
It's game, set, match for tennis ace Richard Gasquet, who was cleared of any wrongdoing for testing positive for cocaine after an incident at a Miami Club.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Geneva bought Gasquet's flimsy story that he unknowingly consumed the Bolivian Marching powder after a make-out session in a Miami club in March.
The 23-year-old Frenchman was in town for the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, when he made a stop at Club Set and started getting hot an heavy with a girl known only as "Pamela." Ladies man Gasquet was tested the next day, failed, and was suspended by the International Tennis Federation for two months and 15 days.
"It was impossible for the player, even when exercising the utmost caution, to know that in kissing a woman who he had met in a totally unsuspicious environment, he could be contaminated with cocaine," the CAS said in a statement, adding that the "minute" amount of coke in Gasquet's system showed he was "clearly not a regular cocaine user."
"The possibility of contamination became the most plausible explanation," the CAS statement said.
The ITF and World Anti-Doping Agency, which both wanted a harsher punishment, weren't happy with the ruling.
"WADA considered that the evidence warranted full and total scrutiny," director-general David Howman said in a statement. "WADA abides by the CAS ruling and has no further comment at this stage."
Gasquet, who missed both the French Open and Wimbledon while suspended, is preparing for the Australian Open in Jaunary. He's currently ranked No. 52 in the ATP standings.
